Diamagnetic separator.



' PATENTBD JUNE 16, 1903.

E. GATES.

DIAMAGNETIG SEPARATOR..

APPLIUATIOH n-Lnn an. 19, 1900. nnmzwnn um. 1a, 1003.

N0 MODEL.

Inveflibr;

m1. WASNINGTON a c UNITED STATES Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE;

MAYER, OF WVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DIAMAGNETIC SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,041, dated June1903- Application filed March 19, 1900. RenewedlTanuai-y 13,1903. SerialNo. 138,823. (No model.)

1'0 a/ZZ whom, it 7ncty concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER GATES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chevy Chase, in the county of Montgomery and State of 5Maryland, have invented certain new and usef ul Improvements inDiamagnetic Separators; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make an d use thesame.

In a companion application for Letters Patent of the United States filed103 1116 of even date herewith I have described and claimed a method ofseparating diamagnetic particles from a mixture containing them, saidmethod consisting in feeding the mixture into a relatively intense partof a magnetic field, causing said field to be occupied. by a body ofretardin g fluid, and thus retaining the material in and subjecting itto the action of the magnetic field until the diamagnetic particles tobe separated have moved out from the mixture into a relatively weak partof the field and then collecting said particles separately as heads. Theretarding fiuid, if a stationary body, is a liquid, such as Water, butis preferably caused to have an upward flow in opposition to the descentof the material, as Will more fully appear by reference to myapplication referred to. r

The present invention relates to apparatus for carrying out the methodreferred to;

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation,partly in section, of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2represents a partial top plan view thereof with the upper hoppersremoved. 7.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in both views.

Referring to the drawings, H indicates the yoke, F the cores, and J theenergizing-bobbins, of an electromagnet whose pole-pieces are reduced orpointed, as shown, so as to obtain a highly-colleentrated field offorce. At the lower end of the interpolar space I locate a hopper Mwithin a surrounding hopper L, the two hoppers having separateexit-chutes, as shown. At the upper end of the interpolar space Iprovide a hopper K, from which the material to be separated is droppedinto the interpolar space. For the purpose of establishing in theinterpolar space a body of liquid, such as water, I mayconvenientlyinclose the pole ends of the cores within a water-tightcasing A, which also incloses the hoppers K, L, and M. Into thisreceptacle A, I introduce a body of water, so

that when the material to be separated is dropped from the hopper B intothe hopper K it will be detained during its descent through theinterpolar space by the presence of the water therein and will besubjected to a correspondingly-longer period of influence by themagnetic field of force.

Instead of having a stationary quiescent body of liquid within thereceptacle A, I pre- 'body of some other fluidas, for instance,

air under such pressure as to cause a strong upward flow thereof throughthe receptacle A. As the material falls from the hopper K through themagnetic field of force the particles of greater diamagneticsusceptibility, such as gold or the like, move outwardly laterally fromthe falling column into the lessintense field on eitllerside and arecollected separately from the main body of diamagnetic material of lesssusceptibility, as sand or the like, which falls without substantialdeviation through the interpolar space. The extent of deflection ordeviation of. the separated particles of greater diamagneticsusceptibility is increased correspondingly by the medium through whichthey fall.. As explained in my method application hereinbefore referredto, I may in practice maintain-an upward flow of water of sufficientpressure to practically arrest and detain the material in the magneticfield as against its tendency to settle in the hoppers until the fullestopportunity has been afforded forthe gold particles to move outwardlyinto the weaker portion of the field, as contemplated. In such event thematerial to be treated would preferably be admitted in successivecharges, each charge sufficing to occupy the interpolar space andremaining in the field under the detaining influence of theupwardly-established Water-current until its accompanying gold hadseparated out, whereupon the flow may be momentarily stopped ordiminished, thereby permitting the separated sand and gold to settleinto their respective hoppers, orin view of the greater specific gravityof the gold the gold may be permitted to settle into itsreceiving-hopper by so graduating the upward flow that it will sustainthe sand, while permitting the gold particles to fall through withsuificient slowness to move well outward during their descent into therange electromagnet, having pole-pieces separated by a long narrowinclosed interpolar space, means for dropping into said spacethe mate'-rial to be separated, means for directing upwardly through said space aconfined countercurrent of a retarding fluid, and a receptacle for theseparated diamagnetic material located beyond the vertical planes of theinterpolar space; substantially as described.

2. Adiamagnetic separator, comprising an electromagnet having a magneticfield, means for dropping into said field the material to be separated,a chamber or conduit inclosing the pole-pieces, said chamber having anoverflow at its upper end, and an inlet-pipe at the bottom for supplyingan upward current of confined fluid thereto, and a receptacle for theseparated diamag'neticrmaterial located beyond the vertical planes ofthe interpolar space; substantially as described.

3. A diamagnetic separator, comprising vertically arranged magnet polespieces, means for feeding the material to be separated and allowing itto gravitate through the space between said pole pieces, means forforcing a counter-current of obstructing fluid upward through said spaceto retard the falling material, and a receptacle for the separateddiamagnetic material located beyond the vertical planes of theinterpolar space; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER GATES.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. PENNJE, A. E. GRANT..

